A Plea to Mother Nature & Link Up On the Edge #81

I am not entirely sure who has wronged you so, but you are fighting back with a vengeance and I am merely getting caught in the cross fire of your mad flinging of snow. I just wanted to let you know that I am sorry for whatever has made you so inexplicably angry. I also want to say that you sure are beautiful when you’re pissed. But how much prettier you would be if you just calmed down a little and let go of whatever grudge you are holding.

*This is a sponsored post. This scarf was provided to me by DressLily for purposes of this post. As always, all thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

I also wanted to tell you that I am tired. I am very, very tired. You see, Sister Menopause and all of her wretched symptoms has planted herself firmly on my doorstep…right in the five foot pile of snow that has accumulated there. What she continues to offer me is bone-chilling cold flashes. These servings of shivering numbness are not very conducive to dealing with the bitter cold temperatures and endless snowstorms that you keep throwing at me. And I can’t ask Sister Menopause to leave, for I know in my heart that she just won’t go until she is good and ready. I also know that she is always angry and her wrath will never subside. Plus, she has made it quite clear that she will be staying for a very long time. And since the cold and snow don’t seem to have much effect on her at all, it is pointless to ask any favors of her. She is one tough, unaccommodating, nasty broad, that’s for sure. So I must turn my plea in your direction.

*Hat: Borrowed from Amy. I tried to steal it from her, but she caught me and took it back!

I don’t know if you are aware, but my husband has been sent to warm and sunny Louisiana for training this winter, so I am by myself with two young children who are not quite capable of pulling their own weight when it comes to things such as snow removal. So every day, and often multiple times a day, I have to swath my frozen bones in layers upon layers of cold weather gear and venture outside into the biting cold to remove the freshly fallen snow from my car, my driveway, my sidewalk, and my front porch. Again and again and again.

And I am really, really tired. Exhaustion is weighing upon me like fifteen tons of snow. Exhaustion combined with pain. My shoulders hurt, my back aches, my toes are numb, my nose is chapped, and my fingers feel a little bit frostbitten. I have been feigning happiness and yelling out to the world with a smile upon my face, “When the universe gives you snow…have a snowball fight, make yourself a sweet sugary snow cone, build a snowman, go sledding, do a snowy photo shoot!”

But really what I want to be shouting with vile contempt in my voice and fire in my eyes is “When the universe gives you snow…curl up in your warmest jammies, make some hot cocoa, hide inside until Spring arrives, and be damned that bitch Mother Nature.” But alas, getting angry at you, the one who controls the weather, is one of the most fruitless things a person can do. And I cannot hide in my house until your revenge is complete because life must go on. And it must go on even if I have to trudge through multiple feet of snow in order to get anywhere including the ten feet to the end of my driveway. My boots are getting heavy, I tell you. Really, really heavy. One foot in front of the other is becoming quite an effort in strength and will power these days.

So dear Mother Nature, I plead with you…can you please cut me a break? I am tired, I’m in pain, I’m cold, I’m frustrated, and I’m heavy. And it’s all because of you. I only request a week without a snow storm. Surely you can grant me a mere 7 short days. Put your grand scheme of retribution on hold. Just so I have some time to dig myself out from under it all and catch my breath for a day before you bury me again.

If you can find it in the coldness of your bitter heart to grant my humble request, most powerful Mother Nature, I am sure that there are others who would also be most appreciative. While I await your response, I will do what I always do…Whatever it takes to get through without breaking and smile for the camera!

Shamelessly begging in the most respectful manner possible,

Shelbee

And now your favorite posts from last week.

Roxanne of Glass of Glam just turned 30 a bit over a week ago and she shared her Golden Birthday Wisdom plus a really fantastic outfit! Happy Birthday, Roxanne! The 30’s are a great decade of life, but wait until your 40’s! It just keeps getting better…until menopause shows up.

70 Responses

I feel your pain Shelbee, but wont sent any of our wet dreary weather back to you it’s just as awful. Let’s pray for the warmer weather and hopefully we should get some. Love the scarf you’ve matched it so well. Happy a better weekend over there. x Jacquihttp://www.mummabstylish.com

Jacqui, thank you so much! And wet dreary weather for weeks and months on end is definitely just as depressing, I can imagine. Maybe even more so…at least the snow is all bright! I hope you get some sunshine, too, as well.

HAhaha, you write so lovely! I totally understand you, because everytime I see your photos I think: oh my, how awfull that snow looks! So much! Just hang in there…..it will become spring…….one dat😂😂😂😂😂

Thanks so much, Cathy! And actually, it was a mild 32 degrees the day we shot these photos…so I actually wasn’t all that cold! But yes, lately the menopausal cold flashes are killing me! Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend.

It is amazing how the weather can affect us, right Shelbee!!
But i have to admit that at least in the photos you overcome anything that Mother Nature has thrown you!!
XOXO
Jodiehttp://www.jtouchofstyle.com

Thanks so much, Jodie! She just keeps throwing stuff at me, too. It is snowing yet again…but I am heading to do another photo shoot. I can’t let her break my stride…that is until I fall on my rear on an icy patch! Ha. Have a wonderful weekend.

Oh dear Shelbee. I can’t even imagine how frustrating, disheartening and exhausting all that snow is. My week long experience just doesn’t get it. My shovel the snow for fun experience can no way get how grueling and daunting the daily task would be. Praying for extra warmth, a rest and encouragement for your day. Compassion welled up for you as I picture how things are for my sister when her husband is training somewhere and she’s manning the fort. At the same time, I chuckled at your venting amongst smiling snow pics! Btw, I love the outfit. You styled the scarf perfectly and did DressLily proud!

Chrissy, thanks so much! The husband will be home on Sunday, thank goodness! And after his 2 1/2 weeks in the sun, he can take over the snow removal duties, for sure! And don’t let my venting mislead you to thinking I am miserable. I am in no way miserable. I am pretty much happy all the time. But yes, daunted is a good word for what I have been feeling lately. The sun will shine again. It just has to! Have a fabulous weekend, my friend.

I grew up in Buffalo, so snow was never a big deal because it was always a big deal. However, what I struggle most with where I live now is the lack of sun…obviously it is not sunny where you are at the moment either. Ha, ha. SAD makes me feel exhausted, cold, depressed and like you, just wanting to curl up under a blanket with a warm cup of tea or cocoa and not come out until all the snow and cold is gone. Hang in there, girlfriend! You are strong and you are fierce and you got this! We’ll get through this together! That being said, I love your outfit and your snowy pics are so pretty. Have a good weekend! – Amyhttp://stylingrannymama.com/

Amy, thank you so much for this little pep talk. We will survive this brutal winter for sure. I just can’t allow myself to hide inside and then I am usually okay. It is snowing yet again, but I am heading for a photo shoot soon. Always smiling, always laughing. The sun will shine again soon! Have a great weekend, my friend.

Thanks so much, Rachael! Yeah, I have been fighting against the snow for so long. I finally realized that it was a fruitless endeavor and I should just accept it, embrace it the best I can, and share some snowy photos…over and over and over again. You all are going to be sick of my snowy photos once May rolls around! Thanks for popping in and have a fabulous weekend.

This weather is some crazy business lately, isn’t it, Patrick? I do hope you get the rain you need to cool off some! Why can’t Mother Nature just meet us all somewhere in the middle? Has she never heard of compromise? Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend.

Here, here, Michelle! A cold weather friend is good to have, too! I do believe that warm weather is housed only within our dreams…and our reality is life in a cold snowy hell! Ha. Thanks for stopping by, my friend. Have a great weekend and stay warm!

Thanks so much, Liz! Oh yes, that illusive corner everyone keeps talking about! Where is this corner that is hiding the sun so perfectly? Ha! Happy 3 Year Blog Birthday, by the way! I tried to comment on your post this morning, but it was allowing me to!

Nora, thank you so much! I was so excited how well this scarf went with the cardigan. And I loved Amy’s hat so much that I promptly went out and found myself a similar one in olive green! Thanks for popping in and have a wonderful weekend.

It just keeps snowing, Andrea, and snowing and snowing and snowing! So scarves are a necessity and I don’t even care that my scarf collection has gotten immensely out of control! Thanks for stopping by and for the lovely comment. Have a wonderful weekend.

I am always having fun, Suzanne, even in my worst moments! Life is way too short not to enjoy it all even during its bad times. But yeah snow, menopause, mom brain, all combined together…it often turns me into hot (or sometimes cold) mess! Thanks for stopping by and have a magnificent weekend.

SoooOOOoooo funny! But the snow if very pretty I do have to say. It dropped to the lower 60s here in Hawaii and I was frozen. I can’t imagine. lol!!! I’m catching up on your week this morning. Been crazy here! Hope you have an awesome warm weekend. xo~Sherry

Thanks so much, Sherry! I was hoping to garner a few chuckles from my silly little plea to Mother Nature! She did respond by shifting a lake effect snow band away from us last night! We were supposed to get 9-18 more inches on top of the already 2 feet of snow that dumped on us this week. But thankfully, we merely got a little dusting of snow last night and today! And you stay warm in your chilly 60 degrees, too! It is all relative, so I get it.

Oh my goodness Shelbee, I can’t even imagine having to dig out of that snow everyday…much less in the middle of menopause! You look super cute doing it, if that’s any consolation! For the menopause, have you tried the bio-identical hormone cream? It’s compounded. After a particularly bad flu in 2013, I got very sick and couldn’t figure out why. No energy, couldn’t concentrate, stomach issues, etc. I was in my early 40’s at that point. After multiple doctor visits, tests, etc., my doctor said my hormone levels had dropped to almost nothing. I went on the cream, and it really helped. You just rub it on your wrist. I’ve finally stopped using it, but I do have aches and pains that I attribute to low levels. I sure hope you get some relief. I know it can be super miserable.

Julie, thank you so much! For the compliment and the information about the bio-identical hormone cream. I have been reading Dr. Prudence Hall’s book about just that thing and I really need to get to the doctor. My husband will be home this weekend, so next week and the week after are for filing taxes, updating passports, and getting to the doctor for all this hormone stuff. Something needs to be done because it is pretty horrible! Thank you for sharing with me what has worked for you. I really appreciate that. Have a great weekend, my friend.

Oh Shelbee, my heart goes out to you. After 35 winters, I’d had enough and packed up for the West Coast. But in spite of the fact that you’re literally dying, you look quite happy, so I’m pulling for you. 😉 Hang in there!
Cheryl Shops | http://www.cherylshops.net

Cheryl, thanks so much! I never in my life would have considered living on the West Coast until a trip to LA last winter….now I think I could easily become a West Coast girl. Except I could never convince my husband! Have a great weekend, my friend.

xoxo
Shelbee

Marilee Gramith

Last night as I watched the national news I saw that you had more snow coming in your direction and I remembered how weary that kind of constant snowfall can be. I lived in a suburb of St. Paul and Minneapolis for many years and it doesn’t take long for the road conditions, cold, and constant shoveling/ snow blowing to mess with your otherwise optimistic and energetic self.
Just this fall my husband and I closed on the sale of that suburban home and have moved into our newly built home in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The winter climate of this area is a secret delight. Chinook winds from the Pacific Northwest help to create moderate winters with frequent highs in the 40’s and even 50’s. It’s a wonder! Snow comes and often melts within 3 days. Then it snows again maybe a week later.. It’s lovely!! We have a rural address, gorgeous mountain views and a distant view of Mount Rushmore.
I’m working on old Mother Nature to see if she’ll bless you with a warming, drier trend. I’m so happy to know that your husband returns soon to share the snow burden. You have some darling structures (playhouse and dog house?) on your property! Your photos are BEAUTIFUL. You need to wear those kinds of colors more often!!! They’re very flattering Shelbee!

Jude, your new home in South Dakota sounds breathtakingly beautiful! If I could live in a place where it remained between 40 and 65 degrees all year long, I would be so very happy. For as much as this cold is bugging me, I can’t really tolerate the heat either. Once it hits the 70’s, I am just too darn hot all the time! And this beautiful woodland paradise where I take many photos is my friend’s yard. She has a lovely cabin in the woods with so much beauty all around it and we often take advantage of it for photos. Thank you for your additional pleas to Mother Nature on my behalf, it looks like there will be a break in the snow in the next week with some milder temperatures coming through as well! Thanks for stopping by and I wish you the most wonderful weekend.

I love the olive green layers Shelbee! But I am sorry about angry mother nature and that terrible sister menopause! I hope they both leave you at peace soon! I also hope your hubby returns soon and gives you a hand with everything at home!

Thanks so much, Elsie! It looks like the next week is going to be mild temperatures without much snow! Just in time for my husband to come and NOT have to deal with snow removal. That seems to be the way it always works! Haha. Have a great weekend, my friend.

I so feel you on this! I’m firmly of the opinion that snow should stay somewhere where we can go visit it – and not dump itself all over our sidewalks and cars! Also – I grabbed a lap blanket to warm up looking at your lovely pics – because even seeing the bare knees from your jeans made me cold! lol

Lynda, thanks for the chuckle this morning! I agree, I agree, I agree! And yeah, I do need to stop wearing ripped jeans in this cold…my knees really do freeze! Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend.

Thanks so much, Ashley! It is snowing like crazy out there again today and I committed to not getting dressed or leaving my house. And I have stuck to that commitment! But I am still really cold. Thanks for the warm wishes and have a great weekend.

Thanks for the sympathetic understanding of this life spent in a snowstorm, Rania! And as long as summer is mild, I will be grateful when it arrives! But if it’s too hot, it’s not going to mix well with menopause either…unless I continue to get cold flashes rather than hot flashes. Haha. Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend.

Hahaha, Mimi! Thanks for the warning! But while the symptoms may get worse, we only get better! I do love winter fashion and lots of layers. I do not, however, love having to deal with all the snow all the time! Enjoy the rest of your weekend, my friend.

I am sorry Shelbee that this Winter has been brutal. I do hear what type of crazy temperatures you are getting and it does sound harsh. I know Mother Nature hears you. I hear you. Hang in there. You have survived this long. You have got this! Your photos here are pretty amazing with the background. Love the scarf and color combo. It’s different from the black and red I see so many of. I hope you are having a marvelous weekend! Enjoy the rest of your day today.

Maureen, thank you so much! I am a huge fan of olive green and have a ton of it in my closet, but I did not have a blanket scarf to match any of it. So when I saw this one, I really did need to have it! Today we are supposed to have temperatures in the low 40’s with some rain, so hopefully it will wash away some of this snow and I won’t have to pull that darn snowblower out again today to deal with the snow that fell all day yesterday! It does make for pretty photos though and when it all starts to melt away, my pictures are going to dank and muddy until Summer arrives. But oh well, it is a true representation of where I live. Thanks for stopping by and have a great Sunday!

Shelbee, I’m sending you some of our Algarve sun. Although it doesn’t feel very warm, I’m sure it’s tee-shirt weather for you guys over there! I really do feel for you. It’s been going on for so long. You need a break. I wish I could pop over and help you!
Sending you the biggest hugs,
Suzy xxhttp://www.suzyturner.com

Aw, Suzy, thanks so much! There seems to be a bit of break this week with temperatures fluctuating between the 20’s and 40’s with some scattered rain…which will hopefully wash away some of the snow in time for the next snow which is predicted to arrive late in the week. I am very grateful for these little reprieves. I hope you have a fabulous week, my friend.

You look so cute! This is a lovely color combination and the baker boy hat just suits you, Shelbee. Great photos, too! Hope Mother Nature lets up in all aspects for you soon. Thanks for linking up with Fabulous Friday!

You cracked me up here with Sister Menopause. I love that you took something which is hard on women and hard to talk about and made it light-hearted, fun and cute. I am sorry you are going through it and through this insanely-cold, stuffed-with-snow long Northern Winter. Our weather is the same as you know. I must say though I am so impressed with how you have dressed this Winter. A lot of layers to stay warm but 100% chic all the way. That scarf is gorgeous and I love pairing olive with khaki always. Also love the two ladies you featured.

Aw, thanks so much, Ada! I am trying to stay stylish through all the cold! And if I can’t laugh about it all, I would be a lost mess! You and Vivian are so sweet and I just can’t get over her little personality! She is such a happy, outgoing, beautiful girl! And I enjoyed our talk as well…it was so nice to have a voice to your face and that accent of yours is wonderful! Heading over now to read your poem!

Oh that shawl is gorgeous! And I love it paired with your cardigan too – it looks so cosy (even if the weather outside is just snow and more snow!). I thought our weather was bad at the moment but it’s nothing compared to yours! Haha. #blogcrush

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